Lijee The Destroyer

Eli likes to break things. We are easing him away from that habit, but not before he earned the nickname Eli the Destroyer.

Lijee wanted to play soccer again this year. I'm not gonna lie; last year it was painful to watch him sit on the field picking grass as the ball rolled by and all the kids ran past him. First game this year, first play of the game, he saw the ball loose. He took that ball straight to the goal! It may or may not have been the wrong goal. We have it on video and he's so proud because all the kids were running after him and couldn't catch him. In reality they were confused since he was running the wrong way. Regardless, it was a super start! Way better than picking grass.

The next game we told him it would be good to be Eli the Destroyer on the soccer field. He could destroy the ball and kick it all the way into the goal. That's exactly what he did. Two goals!

The rest of the season was not as exciting as the two-goal game. It was still a fun season to watch. Our Lijee is a great little defender. 

#9!

 Snack time is always a favorite part of the game; the Bigs enjoyed passing them out on our day to supply.

We're so proud of our little soccer player!

 Would you look at this face?

 last year and this year medals

Roots And Wings

My Mom gave me a cross stitch a long time ago that says give your children roots and wings. Today Elijah spread his wings just a little.  {tear}

Last week Lijee and I enjoyed his last week of summer whilst the bigs were in school. We went to the zoo, had lunch out, went to a movie, had lunch at the movie, watched movies at home; overall doing special things together. All along he has never wanted to go to school, always claiming he'd rather stay home with me. Yesterday he mentioned his last day of summer and said pre-k would be sad. I asked why and with the saddest face you've ever seen and a voice barely audible he whispered, "Because I'll miss you." 

Then we both cried a little.

Once that was out of the way, he was good to go today. Whew! I did not think I was going to be able to handle it if he cried and didn't want me to go.

 Here he is opening his day before school pre-k gift. A red water bottle with monster trucks that says smash--all things he likes.

I picked out a nice outfit for the first day, but he picked these out instead.  I didn't want to upset him on the first day, and at least they matched.

He's bug-eyed here because sometimes when I tell him to look at the camera and try to smile he gets really wide eyes.

 He is not blinking here…sometimes when he tries to smile he gets tiny little slits for eyes.

 Most of the time he just doesn't try to smile for the camera.

The bigs were very supportive of their baby brother 

going to school.

No other mommies even walked their kiddos into class. It was hard to hold the tears back but so embarrassing to be seen crying that I contained them. Until I got into the car. I remembered baby Lijee looking over at Daisy's empty carseat on her first day and asking, "Da-dee?" Waterworks today just as big as 3 years ago but I was left to cry all alone in the car today.

Butt.

(I added that because that is his favorite word and I asked him to please not say it at school. He asked if he could say words that had butt in it, like butter.)

To The Zoo, Jeeves

When your baby starts preschool next week and he asks to go to the zoo, dagnabbit, you go to the zoo.

 About an hour in Lijee started itching his face and neck. Poor boy had some kind of allergy going on. He got little welts. He insisted we go on, so he gobbled an allergy tablet and we soldiered on.

 Little thing looks absolutely miserable.

 He bounced back like a champ.

Eli has always been fascinated with the aquarium. Here is a throw back from 2013.

And Eli's first zoo trip in Feb of 2011 at twenty-six days old.

He's still a cutie, but maybe a bit more ornery. Sure am going to miss my little buddy when he goes to school.

Back To School

Another one of my least favorite times of the year…back to school. I must say, it went very well today. No tears from me or Daisy; I think that was a first for both of us. Truth be told, Daisy cried last night, but she walked right in today with no problems.

When we went to school last week to drop something off Daisy whimsically remarked, "I sure miss this place."

 On the way to the car after school today Zeke declared he wanted it to be tomorrow so he could be back in school already. I'm so glad we're at a school we love.

Our annual standing date: 

first day of school ice cream with Grannie.

Here's to the next 179 days being just as fabulous!